


Planning Ahead

by alistairweekend



Series: Izelle Lavellan [7]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Marriage Proposal, Post-Dragon Age: Inquisition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-24
Updated: 2015-02-24
Packaged: 2018-03-14 21:23:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3426056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alistairweekend/pseuds/alistairweekend
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen decides it's time for him to propose to Izelle... but he wants to make sure the way he does it is perfect.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Planning Ahead

Cullen had to admit he hadn't thought everything through when he had bought the ring.

No, that came after. Impulse buying — impulses of any sort, really — were not common patterns in Cullen’s behavior. Yet it had occurred all the same, nearly a week ago. He had bought the ring with a firm and certain and completely unfounded notion that he was going to ask Izelle to marry him… and then the reality of his intentions crashed down upon him, and he found himself wondering what on earth he was going to do.

Of all his doubts, however, the idea of simply  _not_  proposing never once crossed his mind. Cullen felt it deep within himself, a solid truth that had gradually made itself known in his heart; he loved Izelle Lavellan. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, and he was ready to ask her if she felt the same towards him.

The problem was that it had to be perfect. And Cullen didn’t know how to achieve the perfection he sought. There were so many factors that had to be taken into account: time — both day and hour — place, atmosphere, private or public? Probably private. Unless he got someone to help him… No, he didn’t want it to be a spectacle. Quiet and intimate would be best. And of course he needed to plan what he was going to say.  _Izelle, I’ve been thinking…_

Cullen stopped his wild train of thought before he developed a headache. Perhaps someone would be able to help take at least a portion of the weight off his shoulders with some advice.

***

Dorian was in the library, as usual. Cullen glanced around, making sure Izelle wasn’t around. She favored this place as well for her leisure time.

“Quite the furtive glances you’re throwing about,” Dorian called to Cullen as he approached. “Oh, sorry, were they furtive for a reason?”

Cullen shook his head in mild exasperation as he pulled a seat up next to his friend. “I just needed to be sure Izelle wasn’t here.” He leaned forward, keeping his voice hushed all the same. “Listen, I—”

“Is that a ring?” Dorian caught right on, arching an eyebrow at the glint of metal peeking through Cullen’s fingers.

He let out a sigh and nodded, opening his hand so the small band was fully visible. It was a simple golden ring, the only embellishments being several tiny emeralds embedded along its length. Izelle’s hands were not very large, and her fingers were slender even by her size’s standards. The ring couldn’t even fit on Cullen’s smallest finger.

As Dorian studied it, Cullen got to the point. “I’m going to propose to her, of course, but I don’t know  _how_. You’re one of Izelle’s closest friends, so I… wondered if you might have any suggestions?”

The mage’s eyes traveled up to meet Cullen’s, and, after holding his gaze a moment, he let out a bark of laughter. “You’re asking  _me_  for tips on  _proposing_?”

“Well…!” Cullen sputtered indignantly. “I just thought…”

After his amusement subsided, Dorian grew serious. “I’m sorry.” He placed a hand on Cullen’s shoulder. “What I  _do_  know is that Izelle will love that ring, and I am certain she will say yes, whatever you end up doing. She really loves you.”

Cullen liked to think that he already knew as much, but it was nice to hear it from a third party. “She does?”

“I know better than most. The girl won’t shut up about you, sometimes!” Dorian chuckled fondly. Cullen had to smile, if a little bashfully. “At any rate, someone else could probably help you much better than I ever could. I wish you luck, Cullen.”

“Thank you, Dorian.”

***

“Shit, Curly. Marriage is a pretty big thing.”

“I know that, Varric, thank you for reminding me.”

Varric shrugged. “Hey, just saying. Though I guess that’s why you’re asking for advice. I wouldn’t have picked me as your go-to for this particular subject, however.”

“You weren’t. Dorian was. He directed me to you,” Cullen sighed, tilting his head back.

That earned a snort from the dwarf. “Well, if I was ever proposed to, it would probably be in a tavern after losing count of how many rounds we’ve had.”

“You’re not doing your reputation as a writer much credit,” Cullen remarked. “This is Izelle we’re talking about. What would she like? Use your imagination.”

“You’re right, Snowflake doesn’t get drunk. Have you been around for any drinking contests she’s been in? Downs dwarven ale without batting an eye. Nearly made Tiny piss his pants the morning after she drank him under the table and woke up without so much as a headache.”

Cullen was well aware of Izelle’s peculiar alcohol tolerance. He rubbed his face with a hand. “You’re avoiding the topic.”

Varric threw his hands in the air in defeat. “Yeah, I am. I’m sorry, Curly, I don’t write the kind of stories where they get married in the end. I’m really happy for you two and I’d like to help out, but I’m no wedding planner.”

“All right.” Cullen gave in. “Thanks anyways.”

As he turned to leave, Varric spoke again: “You know who does know a lot about romance, though…?”

***

Cassandra’s gaze turned so sharp when Cullen admitted his plans to her, he resisted the urge to lift a hand to his throat. A cold trickle of fear slid down his chest as he tried to determine exactly what her expression warranted. The answer would determine how hasty his retreat from the room would be.

Just as he had decided to be better safe than sorry and make a run for it, her face softened, a smile widening her lips and filling her eyes with a light of joy and wonder. Cullen was rather taken aback at the sudden change.

“That is wonderful, Cullen. I’m very happy for you both. It will be a lovely occasion when it happens. You will be having the wedding here, yes?”

“Whoa! I’m not even that far yet,” Cullen chuckled. “The reason I came to you in the first place with this is because I need to figure out how I’m going to ask her.”

“Oh? And why would you come to  _me_?” Cassandra inquired, her voice guarded.

Cullen bit back the truth that Varric had suggested it — somehow he had a feeling Cassandra would not appreciate it. “Well, um,” he sputtered. “You and Izelle are close friends, of course.”

She eyed him with scrutiny just long enough to make him nervous again before shrugging. “Fair enough.” A gloved hand went to her chin. “Let us see… A path of rose petals leading to a candle-lit picnic is very romantic. Or you could hide the ring somewhere she would find it — or perhaps something like a treasure hunt, where you leave clues to find it…” Cassandra paused, then her smile turned rueful. “That is what  _I_  would want, though.”

“No, no, those are… good ideas,” Cullen assured her, brow creased thoughtfully. He simply wasn’t sure which Izelle would appreciate more.

“Cullen, although I may be good friends with Izelle,  _you_  are her lover.  _You_  know her best. I think for this task you must trust yourself and only yourself with the planning.”

“But what if I’m not—”

“She must love you for a reason,” Cassandra snorted. “I sincerely doubt a less-than-perfect proposal will result in a no from her. But even then, I am confident you will come up with something splendid.” Her eyes were brimming with encouragement. “However, I must take my leave of you now. Good luck, Cullen. I look forward to hearing the good news.”

Somehow, her words were less inspiring than they should have been.

***

If he couldn’t come up with what to  _do_ , he could at least come up with what to  _say_.

Cullen stood in front of the mirror in his bedroom — technically Izelle’s, but he had taken to sleeping there most nights for almost a year now — smoothing his hair and clothing and trying not to fidget too much. On his way up, he had passed by Josephine’s office, but he didn’t dare ask her. And the rest of Izelle’s ragtag bunch of friends were even poorer choices for proposal planning than his first options, he knew that much at least. He could only imagine what Sera or Cole would say. Or what they would let slip. No, it was best that they waited till after it was over and done with to hear of the engagement.

“Izelle,” Cullen began. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath, meeting his reflection’s eyes. “Right from the beginning you were… something else.” The corner of his mouth twitched upwards as he remembered meeting Izelle — who had been the Herald of Andraste to him then, a title he now knew she loathed being addressed by. She had been quiet, but there was a serene strength about her. Yet while she led the Inquisition with a calm, confident demeanor, she blushed and giggled and seemed terribly uncertain of herself when talking with her one-on-one. Cullen had been intrigued from the start, but he could never have known… “But I could never have known how much you would come to mean to me.

“We’ve been through so much, and I am so, so proud of you and all that you’ve accomplished. You’re a truly amazing person. You have helped me through some difficult decisions and times, and even when I was at my lowest you never thought to leave my side and gave me the strength to not give up. I cannot thank you enough.” Cullen hesitated, then fished the ring out of his pocket. “I love you, Izelle, with all my heart and soul. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

He held the ring out to the mirror for a few moments, then let out a puff of breath. He did it. Now he just had to remember—

“…Cullen?”

Cullen froze, breath catching in his throat. Immediately heat flooded his face, causing his cheeks to burn and changing the skin all the way to his ears to a bright shade of crimson. He turned and there was Izelle at the top of the stairs, a hand at her mouth and her eyes wide.

“I, uh,” he croaked, suddenly finding his mouth sapped of all moisture. His heart was also threatening to cease functioning entirely.  _This was not how it was supposed to happen Maker’s breath what have I done._

Izelle’s hand moved to her side, revealing her lips, which were parted in shock. Slowly, they closed, and she began crossing the space between them. As she did so her own cheeks flushed a rosy pink, making her freckles and light green  _vallaslin_  stand out even more on her skin. When she was mere feet away, her mouth broke out into a giddy smile, and, if Cullen wasn’t mistaken,  _tears_  welled in her hazel eyes. “Did you mean it?” she squeaked.

Cullen let out the breath he had been holding with a whoosh of air, bringing his hand to the back of his neck. “It was  _supposed_  to be for later, after I had  _planned_  things… How much did you hear?”

Her smile said  _all of it._

He gave another sigh, but a fond one. “Of course I meant it. Every word.”

“Well then, yes,” she said, grinning and grabbing his hands. “Yes! I will marry you, Cullen.”

Suddenly the fact that Cullen didn’t get to plan his proposal didn’t matter. His hands shook as he placed the ring on Izelle’s finger, but laughter burst from both of them as he swept her up in a kiss and the fact that  _they were going to get married_  sank in.

Many giggles and kisses later, Izelle finally brought matters to attention. “I believe we have an announcement to make,” she said, and they descended the stairs hand-in-hand, to their new future.


End file.
